Unlockable Content 9.27.06: Handheld Showdown (2 of 2)
Posted by Will Scott on 09.27.2006
Well, we covered the good one. Now it's on to the other one.
Unlockable Content: Handheld Showdown (2 of 2)
Here we are, back again with another installment of Unlockable Content. Second week, and the column's name still seems better than the old one. That's a fairly good sign, right? Probably.
Anyhow, last week we went over a review, in brief, of the Nintendo DS. In that article, I mentioned that it's the heir to the throne of the Gameboy and was thus stiff competition for anything else that would come out on the market. To tell the truth, though, this wasn't always the truth.
No, once upon a time, there were many that thought that the DS was destined to be another Nintendo gimmick flop, right along the lines of the Virtual Boy. And why not? Early descriptions of the machine seemed to rely more on the "wow" factor of having the second screen rather than actually telling anyone about the quality of games. Games like XX/XY seemed gimmicky, designed simply exploit the dual-screen feature. It looked like the Gameboy Advance was going to stay on as the real machine, with this gimmick fated to meet obscurity.
Looks like we were wrong on that one. To a large degree, that's because of the high quality of games the DS has. But...it's also got to do with the competition.
That's right...the PSP.
The Playstation Portable
Background and Description
Sony's PSP seemed to be a logical extension of the Playstation franchise, and a worthy opponent to Nintendo's Gameboy Advance. Touted as both a gaming handheld and a multimedia machine, it received a massive marketing push upon its release. The design of the machine is relatively simple, seemingly a modern-day take on the Sega Gamegear. The screen is situated in the middle of the D-pad and four face buttons, with a small joystick under the D-pad and two more triggers on the shoulder. Games are on the small "UMD" disks, and inserted in to the back.
Media features
The PSP is, by far, the media giant of the handhelds. It is capable of holding music, images, and videos in varying amounts (depending on your memory unit). Also available are a few films on the UMD format. The PSP's web-browser is functional, though it's honestly no substitute for a real computer. Don't be prepared to use it heavily.
The Library
This library is no different than the DS's - a collection of simplified and/or ported versions of Playstation games, and a number of original games. Unlike the DS, there's no previous system to go backwards compatible with. If you're buying a PSP, you'll be buying a brand new library.
The Pros
It's a pretty system with a number of very cool features. It's got a very nice library of ports, and a few truly interesting titles (Liberty Series Stories, for example).
The Cons
Not only is the PSP the more expensive handheld, but the games tend to be more expensive as well. And if you're not a fan of Playstation ports, this may not be the system for you. Oh, and...Sony's not exactly focusing on the PSP these days, what with the PS3 coming out. So if you're expecting a steady flow of quality games, you'll want to look elsewhere.
That's the PSP for you - cool system, high price, low support.
Beyond the Screen
While there's a few good comics coming out this week, I'd rather tout a new CD: Weird Al's newest, Straight Out of Lynwood.
It's Weird Al, for goodness sake. It's not quite as good as Poodle Hat, but it's got some memorable parodies and the original songs are actually quite good. Check it out to support a fun artist, and purchase it to have a great comedy addition.
And...that's all. I'm sick, I'm tired...and I'm out.
